Entitlement vs. Gratitude
I am reading…….studying a book about Ecclesiastes. The book is a tough read. I have to stop a digest every paragraph. But, that’s not the worst of it. Ecclesiastes itself is not a particularly uplifting message. The writer, probably Solomon, has lived and is looking back over a life of unparalleled blessing and success. But, he is old and knows that death is getting close.
The first part of Ecclesiastes is a catalog of Solomon’s triumphs. And the list is impressive. But, he sees each of these triumphs through the lense of his impending death. His conclusion? It is all “hevel”. This is a word that does not translate well. It means pointless, absurd, meaningless, unsatisfying……..a chasing after the wind.
The second part of Ecclesiastes comes from a different direction. Solomon concludes that everything: his life, the wealth that he has accumulated, his great achievements……..is a gift……..a gift from God.
This is the world we live in. Ecclesiastes is a study in how we react to the world around us. First…..in how we do react. Then…….in how we should react. Ecclesiastes guides us between two poles: between entitlement and gratitude………between secular humanism and Christianity.
Our society, during my lifetime, has noticeably shifted toward an entitlement philosophy. Our universities are in part responsible. Young people spend 4 years in a world where their food, shelter, clothing, health care, and entertainment are provided…….largely paid for by someone else. They live in a spa-like setting. Most come out without a marketable skill……..but with significant debt……and the expectation that the spa lifestyle will go on. They are entitled……..but their entitlement is not satisfied.
This does not work. It doesn’t work for them. It doesn’t work for society in general.
The other pole is gratitude. In this perspective, everything…….everything…….good, bad, or indifferent……..is a gift from a creator who loves us. Our reaction to these gifts should be awestruck gratitude. That gratitude matures into satisfaction. When we know that the wagyu steak that we just ate was a gift from our creator we are grateful and satisfied. But, the same should be true after we finish a cup of cold gruel.
So……the burning question is this:
Which of these perspectives is right? Which is true?
Are we entitled to the steak? Do we deserve it?
Or
Is the steak a gift? Should we be grateful?
There are two reasons supporting the gift:
First……we didn’t create any of it…….and neither did our parents or the government or any other living person or institution. Why should I be entitled to things when I can’t even tell where they ultimately came from………where life came from……where the universe came from?
Second……I am going to die…….soon. The undeniable reality of the situation is that I am not even entitled to my very life. How can I be entitled to a hot caramel latte?
The message of the first part of Ecclesiastes is that a life of entitlement, when viewed through the lense of impending death is “hevel”…..absurd.
The message of the second part of Ecclesiastes is that, ultimately, everything is a gift from our creator. I didn’t create any of it. I didn’t earn it. No matter how hard I work…..No matter how capable I am…..I cannot keep any of it. My only rational response is to enjoy the gift…..and thank the giver.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12: 13-14, ESV